Devices for securing strings in musical instruments

ABSTRACT

A device which serves to secure strings in pianos and like stringed instruments in a simple and reliable manner with the aid of a swingably mounted tension element having an arcuate portion and a likewise arcuate groove therein, in which the string is placed in a state folded back upon itself so as to be clamped in the groove by wedge action when the element is swung and thereby tensioned.

United States Patent Inventor Birger Lager Vetlanda, Sweden AppL No.11,196 Filed Feb. 13, 1970 Patented Aug. 3, 1971 Assignee AB NordisluPiano Brogdsgatan, Vetlanda, Sweden Priority Feb. 17, 1969 Sweden2179/69 DEVICES FOR SECURING STRINGS IN MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS 3 Claims, 5Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 84/207, 84/297 Int. Cl Gl0c 3/10, GlOd 3/12 Field of Search84/200,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 416,334 12/1889 Holloway84/207 974,095 10/1910 Schlemmer.... 84/207 3,407,696 10/1968 Smith eta1 84/297 Primary ExaminerRichard B. Wilkinson Assistant Examiner-JohnF. Gonzales Attorneys-Ralph E. Bucknam, Jesse D. Reingold, Robert R.

Strack and Henry A. Marzullo, Jr.

ABSTRACT: A device which serves to secure strings in pianos and likestringed instruments in a simple and reliable manner with the aid of aswingably mounted tension element having an arcuate portion and alikewise arcuate groove therein, in which the string is placed in astate folded back upon itself so as to be clamped in the groove by wedgeaction when the element is swung and thereby tensioned.

PATENTEU Aug 3m DEVICES FOR SECURING STRINGS IN MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Thisinvention relates to a device for securing strings in pianos and likestringed instruments to an element that is arranged to be swung fortightening or tuning the string.

The device suggested according to the present invention has beenconstructed for the setting-up of strings in musical instruments but italso has other similar uses. The novel features of the device accordingto the invention reside in that the device comprises an element whichcan be swung about an axis transverse to the direction of the string andin which a V-shaped groove is formed so as to extend in an are aroundsaid transverse axis, that a pin extending transversely of the directionof the string is provided at the distal end of said groove as viewedfrom the end of the string secured to an abutment, and that the distancebetween the boundary walls of the V-shaped groove at the bottom thereofis smaller than the cross section of the string, and a part of thestring is bent about said pin and drawn along the bottom of the grooveat some distance therefrom, while that part of the string which is fixedto the abutment shall extend, counted from the string part bent aroundthe pin, along the groove exteriorly of said string part to urge itinwardly in the groove.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will be more fully described inthe following with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a tension lever with an element to which astring is to be secured;

FIG. 2 is a view of said lever as seen from below;

FIG. 3 is a cross section of said lever;

FIG. 4 is a view of said lever as seen from above;

FIG. 5 is a cross section of part of the lever shown in FIG. 2.

The tension lever is generally designated 1 and at one end has a recess2 for a tension screw and at the other end an arcuate portion 5 whichengages the string and coacts with a recess 4 formed in a support 3 andserving as a guide for the lever. Upon tightening and untightening,respectively, of the screw which is shown by broken lines, the tensionlever 1 will thus swing about an axis passing through the center of theportion 5, the bottom of said portion sliding in the recess 4 whichpreferably also has an arcuate shape. Moreover, the lever has anedge-shaped projection 6 which when the lever is swung beyond a givenangular position about the axis passing through the portion 5, engagesthe support 3, thereby forming a new axis for the lever to swing about.

Accordingly to the invention, the portion to which the string 9 is to beclamped has an arcuate surface 10 which is part of the arcuate portioncoacting with the recess and to which the string 9 is a tangent. AV-shaped groove 11 is formed in said arcuate surface 10 and at thedistal part of the groove as viewed from the other end of the string thegroove is of greater depth at 12. A pin or like element 14 extendsthrough the boundary walls 13 at the deeper part 12 of the groove. Atthe bottom the V-shaped groove 11 is of a width slightly smaller thanthe diameter of the string to be secured. At the fixation of the stringthe end part 9 thereof is passed beneath the pin 14 so that said endpart runs along the bottom of the groove past the recess 4 in thesupport 3 and through a recess 15 in the edge-shaped projection 6. Theremaining string is bent around the pin 14 and so oriented as to runexteriorly of the string end part 9' in the groove 11. After theopposite end of the string has been secured the superimposed stringpart, upon pivotment of the lever 1, will urge the string part extendingalong the bottom of the groove inwardly therein so that it will befixedly retained by the wedge action arising between the string and theboundary walls of the groove.

The invention is not restricted to the embodiment described andillustrated but can be modified in several ways within the scope of theappended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: I. A device forsecuring strings in pianos and like stringed instruments to an elementthat is arranged to be swung for tightening or tuning the string,wherein the device comprises an element which can be swung about an axistransverse to the direction of the string and in which a V-shaped grooveis formed so as to extend in an are around said transverse axis, a pinextending transversely of the direction of the string is provided at thedistal end of said groove as viewed from the end of the string securedto an abutment, and the distance between the boundary walls of theV-shaped groove at the bottom thereof is smaller than the cross sectionof the string, and a part of the string is bent about said pin and drawnalong the bottom of the groove at some distance therefrom, while thatpart of the string which is fixed to the abutment shall extend, countedfrom the string part bent around the pin, along the groove exteriorly ofsaid string part to urge it inwardly in the groove.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the V-shaped groove runs inan arc concentrically around the axis which the element can be caused toswing about.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the V-shaped groove extendsalong a portion of the element that has an arcuate surface which isadapted to engage with and be received in an arcuate recess in asupport, so that upon swinging of the element the arcuate surface willslide in said recess.

1. A device for securing strings in pianos and like stringed instrumentsto an element that is arranged to be swung for tightening or tuning thestring, wherein the device comprises an element which can be swung aboutan axis transverse to the direction of the string and in which aV-shaped groove is formed so as to extend in an arc around saidtransverse axis, a pin extending transversely of the direction of thestring is provided at the distal end of said groove as viewed from theend of the string secured to an abutment, and the distance between theboundary walls of the V-shaped groove at the bottom thereof is smallerthan the cross section of the string, and a part of the string is bentabout said pin and drawn along the bottom of the groove at some distancetherefrom, while that part of the string which is fixed to the abutmentshall extend, counted from the string part bent around the pin, alongthe groove exteriorly of said string part to urge it inwardly in thegroove.
 2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the V-shaped grooveruns in an arc concentrically around the axis which the element can becaused to swing about.
 3. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein theV-shaped groove extends along a portion of the element that has anarcuate surface which is adapted to engage with and be received in anarcuate recess in a support, so that upon swinging of the element thearcuate surface will slide in said recess.